Re: The Conversive
From: | Danny Wier <dawiertx@...> |
Date: | Tuesday, November 2, 2004, 17:41 |
From: "caeruleancentaur"
> While reviewing some Swahili grammar the other day, I came across an
> aspect of the verb called the conversive. The suffix -ua is added to
> the verb to "undo" the action of the verb, e.g., funga, fasten;
> fungua, unfasten.
>
> Have any of you encountered this in your study of languages? Have
> any of you used it in your conlang?
>
> I have discovered it in Senyecan. The prefix µi- puts a verb into
> the converse, e.g., pága, fasten; µipága, unfasten.
Well obviously we have it in English, with the prefix -un, and Latin and
Romance languages have dis- or something similar (Spanish has des-).
And yes, that is something I want for my conlang. I'm thinking of using the
m@n- (or m-) prefix as a preverb for a reverse action; it's normally the
ablative preposition, "(away) from". (I stole that one from Arabic.)
How is mu pronounced again?
Reply